Regulators Amongst Enforcers
by Shrapnel893
Summary: Season 2 before Season 2 was a thing.
1. Nobody Knows Your Intent

Hello, this is a story I salvaged from some old documents back from August 2013 when it was first posted that I'd like to continue sometime. Please enjoy what's here, thus far.

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 **01: Nobody Knows Your Intent**

A solemn figure, garbed in all black attire from head to toe, stood on a makeshift center stage, hastily created for the speech she was about to give, staring out at the grime covered crowd gathered below. The ones washed away by the Sibyl System, inhabiting the now long abandoned industrial island of Ogishima, after Japan ceased international trade with the outlying countries; Korea excluded, as it had been annihilated prior to the decision. In the government's reasoning, there was no need to trade with the former shell of an already dying country in the first place, and certainly not after its destruction.

Though, despite isolating themselves as they have done countless times in past eras, the Japanese government was still taking in immigrants; whether from Korea or another country, it was an irrelevance. With the full implication of the Sibyl System a few decades prior, the fluctuation of immigrants of any kind was severely lessened, and it took more than just a sad tale to get into Japan in the current era: the era ruled by the Sibyl System. The black garbed figure would use this fact to her advantage.

Clearing her throat, the Dominator at her belt swayed, as it was loosely tied down by the handle, and any shift of her waist made it move. Peeling back the hood obscuring her face, she let her dark brown hair, just past chin length, fall down freely; at the same time briefly pulling on the cloth that helped against the smell of strong sulfurous crude oil that filled the dirty air, and inhaling contemptuously through her nose. She was used to the multitude of dust that mixed itself into the air, giving it a dismal texture that clung to the decaying walls of the former warehouse as she searched her way through the crowd, but not the oil; she didn't like that smell. Air hoses connecting along the walls periodically spewed out hot air, as if it were the structure's dying breaths. Waiting a moment more, she finally opened her mouth to speak.

"Allies, friends, acquaintances," she started, her voice muffled by the cloth, but still loud enough for everyone in the tightly packed room to hear, "the Sibyl System is a blight upon the free will of the Japanese people. It controls every aspect of our lives, and if we make one slip up, one _tiny_ mistake, that life is ruined." Lifting her hands up, as if she were trying to embrace the ground between her arms, she continued. "Thus, here we are. Tossed aside by the very system that we entrusted our lives to, living on this dirty island amongst the decaying corpses of rats and foul smelling oil. The very system we trusted has abandoned us to die like the rats, and sink into the black muck of the oil." Peering around, she put down her hands, wanting to get this little speech over as quickly as possible. "And so, I ask of you brothers and sisters, allies and friends, to rise up against this system that has taken our lives and our very existences from us. I ask that you join the growing resistance to end this unjust system. After all, isn't it only fair that we take down the very system that took us and cast us out to dry? Isn't it our right to end this unfair judgment?" she finished, waiting for a response from the crowd. At first, it was quiet. Then, murmurs, whispers of agreement, swept through the crowd as they all came together in their answer: the destruction of the Sibyl System.

Amidst the cheers and shouts from the crowd, the figure bowed sharply and left the makeshift center stage, the same contemptuous smile resting on her lips, as she disappeared from view down a hidden tunnel. She stopped, as another figure appeared from the shadows, the light casting diagonally across his body, concealing his features.

His hands were tucked into his pockets, as he looked at the now closed trapdoor to the makeshift stage above. "So, I take it that everything went smoothly, as predicted?"

"Everything went fine, just like back in Tokyo," the woman responded, pulling her hood back up. "Now, all I want to do is leave this cesspool, it reminds me too much of my days as an Enforcer."

The man chuckled. "Of course. One we get back to the mainland, we'll proceed with the next step," he said, turning to leave as the woman watched him become fully engulfed by the darkness.

"One step closer." The woman remarked, one hand resting on her Dominator out of habit, as she followed him into the darkness.

 **:-:0110:-:**

"Mika... Shimotsuki..."

Akane let the name fall from her lips, clicking through the databanks of the Ministry of Welfare's aptitude tests, having searched through all relevant files related to the girl. Out of all the test-takers—of which there weren't many—she was the second one to get an A ranking for the Public Safety Bureau. The first had been herself. She flipped through the file of Unit One's newly appointed Inspector and simultaneously drew up a report of the girl's aptitude scores on the screen, scrolling through all _one_ of them and bit her nail. Why the Sibyl System recommended this as her one and only choice, she had no clue. It were as if they were pointing her in this direction, as if to say: this is where we want you, you'll be a valuable use to us. That was one of the its purposes, recommending the appropriate ministries and companies that were most in line with your score results. _Yet..._

"Did you find something?" Ginoza, one of the First Division's Enforcers, designation Hound One, asked. Standing in the open doorway to the office, arms relaxed at his sides, he waited patiently for her answer.

She spun in her chair and closed all confidential databanks in the same motion, leaning forward. "The new Inspector that's supposed to be meeting up with us on today's assignment..." Letting a faint smile start at the edge of her mouth, Akane peered down at her wristwatch. On it was the information she'd deemed relevant to her first evaluation of the girl: hue color, personality type, the more intellectual-inclined aptitude scores—all collected and organized into a linear graph that projected itself outward, being displayed as a projected hologram before her eyes. It was such a very... calm... shade of teal that she couldn't help but feel all the more anxious, gazing at it.

Or, perhaps, it was the fact that the girl's stats were all within the normal range, despite her A ranking. What then did that A ranking really mean? Sibyl System had a use for this girl, whether it be good or ill and, the data collapsing back into her wristwatch, she covered it with her hand then sighed. They were up to something... and this girl was the key to that something. She was sure of it. Gazing up at Ginoza, she couldn't help but smile. "She's very... interesting..."

His head tilted, "Is that what you believe?" The Enforcer walked into the dimly lit office that housed all of Unit One's work stations; three for the Inspectors and six for the Enforcers. Though, with the limited manpower that the Criminal Investigation Department was currently forced to work with, only six stations were being used. Two spots for the Inspectors, four spots for the Enforcers. Ginoza looked down at her, tone of voice betraying his true feelings even if his face remained static. "Is something bothering you regarding it?"

"What?! Oh... Nothing. It's nothing," she said, putting the uneasy feelings of the Sibyl System's true intentions away for the time being. Standing to her feet, Akane put on her Public Safety Bureau vest; synthetic fibers of a dark shade of blue with the Ministry of Welfare's logo printed on the back.

"I see."

"What of the others, are they ready to go?"

"Yes, they're all waiting your arrival by the paddy wagon."

"Any complaints?" she then asked, stretching out the stiffness of sitting in her chair too long.

"Hound Four wanted to know when they would get to meet the new Inspector, and also, if they would be stopping for anything to eat on the way to the crime scene."

She sighed. "Tell her to be patient, and for the last time: _no snacks._ "

"Right."

Ginoza left the room to gather with the rest of the Enforcers down below, as Akane stood there alone, the thoughts of Shimotsuki's place in Sibyl's plans still gnawing at the back of her mind, despite her effort to dismiss them earlier. Why only the Public Safety Bureau? Again, placing the uneasy feelings away as best she could, Inspector Tsunemori started out the office, preparing for her first encounter with the girl who was to be her new partner—steeling herself to be the candid and strict senior Inspector that she needed to be.


	2. Rainy First Day

**02: Rainy First Day**

The night-time sky was lit up by the city, which was still buzzing with activity; which was always buzzing with activity. Rain poured down on Mika Shimotsuki's head as she rushed through the streets and navigated around a throng of curious bystanders to the meeting area. She was late!

"This is the Criminal Investigation Department, part of the Public Safety Bureau," the Department Drones relayed in unison, as one, positioned around the area where the crime was currently taking place. "Access to this block is currently restricted to ensure safety."

Mika slogged past them all gathered in a line one row deep that went along the length of the main block where the criminal had fled, and stepped through the virtual yellow tape further sectioning off the area. She came to a halt under a tent setup prior to her arrival, calling out to the individual waiting for her. The woman, fairly young, with alabaster skin and a brown bowl cut, wore a structured white top underneath a dark greyish blazer and black dress pants, backside to her.

"Excuse me! Are you Inspector Tsunemori?"

The woman collapsed her HoloComm and half turned, focusing that previously held attention on her. "Yes." She looked innocent with that small nose, those thin, angular, and slightly curved eyebrows, the brown eyes larger than most, but one look at the serious expression combined with the hardened look in her eyes dispelled any illusions that she ever was. Her voice was authoritative and firm as she spoke. "What bad luck that you have to deal with an incident right after you got posted."

Mika stood up straight, not wanting to look sluggish in front of her more experienced colleague. "I'm Mika Shimotsuki. I've been assigned to the Criminal Investigation Department as of today!" she sounded off, giving the proper salute, "Pleased to meet you!"

The senior Inspector didn't return her greeting, instead getting straight to the business at hand, "Sorry, but the CID is very short on manpower," she turned fully, "So I'll help you out, but I can't treat you like a newbie."

"I'm aware of that. I'm looking forward to the work!" Mika assured, keeping her salute firm.

"Good response." Inspector Tsunemori narrowed her eyes as a Criminal Investigation Department Holding and Transport Truck eased its way into the blocked off area, as the two Inspectors watched it approach with all six of its front lights on and shining brightly. A paddy wagon.

Mika stared in amazement at it, as she anticipated what was to come next. "That's..."

"The guys you're about to meet are humans just like us, but they'll deal with crimes using criteria for judgment different from your own," Inspector Tsunemori explained, as she put on her blue police jacket, and checked to make sure it was on properly. "Their actions sometimes may be beyond your comprehension," she continued, as the loading ramp of the truck parted, blaring lines of red flashing to signify the action. "Trust them, but at the same time, be cautious of them. If you underestimate them, you'll get seriously hurt."

Mika clutched her own police uniform close to herself, staring half in awe and half in intimidation as the passengers came off the loading ramp single file.

"They're what we call 'Enforcers'. They'll be your acting subordinates."

A weapon dispenser expanded out next to the senior Inspector, emitting a light bluish glow as it opened to reveal the weapons contained inside. She stepped aside, motioning with a nod of her head for her to take a hold of one, the iconic Dominators that the Criminal Investigation Department primarily used.

Mika stepped up, gripping one of the Dominators with both hands as she pulled it out. Her eyes flashed blue as the Dominator came online.

"Dominator Portable Psychological Diagnosis and Suppression System has been activated." In front of her eyes, an ID screen with four white squares a word that read "INITIALIZING/" above them appeared, and the white squares each turned blue as the system verified her identity. "User authentication, Inspector Mika Shimotsuki." The screen changed, displaying her Department information:

/ID-CTRL: 0457

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT

Name:

Mika Shimotsuki

Position:

INSPECTOR

ID:

00476-AEDJ-30257-2

Two more panels opened up, the first one displaying her Department identification photograph and the second one, which overlapped the previous, showing an alert setting that quickly scrolled through nonessential data before closing itself. The remaining panels followed suit as the Dominator finished going through its verification process.

"Affiliation: Public Safety Bureau, Criminal Investigation Department. Dominator usage approval confirmed." Another set of panels aligned themselves to the edges of her vision, displaying a map of the area and analysis search logs, respectively. A third one came after that, going to the edges of her vision like the previous two, although this one displayed her currently selected Dominator Mode. "The current enforcement mode is Non-Lethal Paralyzer. Aim calmly and disable the target."

Mika glanced up at Inspector Tsunemori as the Dominator went over protocols and regulations in her head. The senior Inspector was already ready to go, holding up her own Dominator while being flanked by two Enforcers, one with a slender build, long black hair tied back into a ponytail, wearing a buttoned up dark coat, while the other was fairly tall, she noticed right away, and sported a long dark suit. She immediately recognized the first from before, though the woman's serious expression was visibly cold, unlike when they had met previously, and made her seem like a different person. As for the other, peering closer, he was kind of handsome. His slanted green eyes were hidden by his dark chin length black hair, and it gave him an almost scary look.

Next to him were two others: the first, a lean muscle toned man, easily the second tallest of the group, was wearing a white dress shirt underneath an open collared dark suit and tie. His deepset dark blue eyes, smug expression, and a light blonde—almost ashy—short spiky hairstyle made him look like some type of gang member; which could have been true for all she knew. The second one, a young woman her own height, had a cheerful grin on her face that looked very out of place with the dismal scenery around them, made even more apparent by the thin light brown coat she was wearing, and her prominent light green eyes further enhanced her playful, and very out of place, appearance.

All of them wore dress pants and dress shoes, although the cheerful one looked slightly uncomfortable in hers, and they all stared at her. Waiting. It sent a cold feeling down her spine.

"Our suspect is one Mitsuo Iseri." Inspector Tsunemori said as she expanded her HoloComm, showing a profile of the suspect. His Psycho Pass was well over one hundred. "A street scanner had flagged him after performing a routine Hue Check, and he ran after refusing to receive therapy. Scanners tracked him to this block, where he is currently hiding."

Mika gulped, looking over his profile. Male, middle aged, blood type A, date of birth: July 9, 2070. She scrolled to his Psycho Pass color. Greenish yellow. Not as bad as Oryou's, she thought, relieved, grip tightening around her Dominator.

"He is expected to be highly dangerous in his current state. His aggression and compulsion levels are expected to be high to very high." Inspector Tsunemori continued, glancing up at her, an intense look on her face. "Inspector Shimotsuki. What's the matter?"

"Nothing!" she replied sharply, snapped back to the investigation and its briefing.

Inspector Tsunemori went on, "There is a possibility that he used incompatible drugs. This is common with individuals who exhibit too much stress, either with their jobs or their personal lives. Sometimes, it can be a combination of both."

"What types of drugs did he use?" the Enforcer with the spiky hair asked, interrupting her. Miscellaneous information gathering was an old habit for him, Mika saw, spying through his profile.

"Depressants that weren't approved by the Public Medication Bureau." Inspector Tsunemori answered, closing her HoloComm and giving a look at the Enforcer. "Mr. Yamauchi, you shouldn't speak out of turn. I may allow it, but others might not," she said, indicating towards her, and she held up her hands in embarrassment at being suddenly put on the spotlight.

"I-it's fine by me, too!" she exclaimed, not wanting to get on the Enforcer's bad side. He just smirked, stretching his arms.

"In any case, he is a latent criminal, and must be apprehended. The Drones can't enter this block so we'll have to do the searching ourselves," Inspector Tsunemori said, looking up at one of the buildings inside the block and then back at her. "He has no hostages with him, so this should be relatively easy, if we be careful."

Mika looked at her map of the area, searching for any civilians still inside the block. "I don't see anyone inside."

"That's because this is an uninhabited block, and because of that it's a den of homeless people. Their Psycho Passes wouldn't be measured, that's why you can't see anyone inside."

Mika looked at her map again, frowning slightly at the news. "But, even if they're homeless, wouldn't their Psycho Passes still be measured?" she asked.

"No, the Sibyl System deems it unnecessary and a waste of time." Inspector Tsunemori put a somewhat harsh emphasis on her words when mentioning the Sibyl System, but it was gone as immediately as it appeared. "As a result, they can't be measured." She then looked at her watch and hastily addressed everyone present one final time. "We'll wrap this one up quickly. Kunizuka and Fukui, you're with me. Ginoza and Yamauchi, go with Inspector Shimotsuki," she instructed, pairing everyone up in three's, "We'll split into two groups and search for him simultaneously."

"Roger," Kunizuka said, standing straight as she followed the senior Inspector, obviously not one to dawdle idly.

"Understood!" Fukui said right after her, more cheerful than necessary. She dotted behind Kunizuka, but not before giving a wink in her direction.

Yamauchi made a tsk sound, moving to grab a Dominator as Inspector Tsunemori and her team went on ahead. Kunizuka didn't bother looking at the three of them, but both Inspector Tsunemori and Fukui glanced at her as they went past. Fukui even gave her another wink and flashed a smile. Highly excitable?

Mika and her team watched them disappear into the block, the sounds of the rain deadening their footsteps.

"And there they go." Yamauchi said, throwing up his free hand. "Why do we get the newbie?" he whined in protest, arms folded behind his head.

"Because that's who Inspector Tsunemori assigned us to," Ginoza replied, looking at the weapon dispenser as it opened up again. "Quit complaining."

Yamauchi sized her up. "So, newbie, are we gonna leave too? I want to get the bastard, I've been itching for this all night."

"It's Inspector Shimotsuki, and you should address her as such." Ginoza scolded lightly, looking from him to her. "Well, Inspector Shimotsuki, what are your orders?"

Mika stood still, thinking of what to do next. She was kind of embarrassed, having all eyes on her. "I-I guess we should go too," her voice became firm as she gave them direction, "I'll take the lead, Yamauchi will take the right wing. Ginoza, you'll take the left."

"At least she sounds like she knows what she's doing." Yamauchi remarked, taking up position where she ordered.

"Knock it off, and stay focused." Ginoza replied, moving beside her left as the three of them made hastes toward the block, the heavy rain made every other sound around them seem almost non existent as they trudged through it between the first set of buildings.

As Mina lined up against the outer wall of one of the buildings, she wondered if she could handle the two Enforcers and keep them in check, as just then her HoloComm went off and she opened it, seeing Inspector Tsunemori's Department photo. She peeked at her name below, curious to know what her first name was. Akane. Akane Tsunemori.

"Inspector Shimotsuki? This is Tsunemori. How is your team doing?" the senior Inspector asked over the Comm.

"Fine. We just entered the block and are taking cover. No sign of the suspect yet."

"Ah. I see. Well, if you see him, contact me immediately. Tsunemori out." Her HoloComm collapsed as Inspector Tsunemori closed her own.

"You think we'll find him, Inspector?" Yamauchi whispered over the plunk of the rain on surface, "I mean, this block is pretty big."

"If we don't, Inspector Tsunemori's team will." Ginoza answered, peering from his cover to scan the area they were in. "Isn't that right, Inspector Shimotsuki?"

"Y-yes! If we don't find him, then Inspector Tsunemori's team will!" She was, again, still embarrassed at having their stares directioned totally at her.

"I want to be the one to catch him!" Yamauchi eagerly tapped his hand on the trashcan he was leaning against. "But if they get to him first," he shrugged, "then I guess that's too bad."

Mika watched him casually focus his attention back to the task at hand and signaled for the both of them to follow up behind her as she moved forward. They went from building to building, shifting between various forms of cover. Each time Mika would move up, Yamauchi and Ginoza would flank her on either side, taking up positions beside her. They searched as they went deeper into the block, its quality and cleanliness worsening the farther in, seemingly parallel to the number of homeless people as those kept on increasing too. There was no sign of the suspect, though.

"It smells like a sewer in here!" Yamauchi noted, holding his nose. "My suit is going to reek!"

"It'll get worse as we head deeper in, so keep holding your nose if you want." Ginoza replied, not holding his own, solely concentrated on the investigation at hand.

Mika looked at the homeless people wandering about or lying down, wondering if what Inspector Tsunemori said was true. Checking her map again, the Psycho Passes of those milling about were unreadable just like she had said. Mika frowned slightly like before, then went back to searching for the suspect and, as she rounded a corner, an alert panel blew up in her field of vision, telling her of someone's Psycho Pass reading that was close by. She told this sudden news to the two Enforcers behind her.

"My scanner picked up someone's Psycho Pass! It could be the suspect's, stay alert!"

Yamauchi smiled wickedly upon hearing the news, "Alright!"

"Don't be so enthused. Remember, he's dangerous," Ginoza reminded him as they made their way to the reading she'd discovered and immediately setup.

Mika looked at her map again, trying to find the Psycho Pass reading she saw earlier. It was faint now, but the map told her it was behind one the buildings in front, around another corner, and signaled for the two Enforcers to follow her as she cautiously moved on the location. She stopped just as she reached the corner, telling them to stop and press themselves against the wall. Edging as close to it as possible herself, she peered around, in hopes of seeing the suspect, and saw something fast, a shadow, disappear behind another corner at the end of the narrow pathway between the buildings.

Mitsuo Iseri!

Not wasting any time, she rushed forward to catch up to him, leaving her Ginoza and Yamauchi behind and after a moment's hesitation, had them on her heels, surging after her, ready to apprehend the suspect, as she came up to the next corner and abruptly stopped, signaling again for them to stop.

"He's fast." Yamauchi remarked.

"Stay alert." Ginoza said.

"This is a dead-end though, he's cornered," she said, checking her map again. Shaking from a sudden chill, she looked behind her. They were both staring again, and it still freaked her out. She wished they'd avert their eyes somewhere else, as both nodded, and, seeing this Mika quickly got back into focus, returning the nod. She took a deep breath before storming the corner with her weapon raised, the two Enforcers following suit.

This was it!

"Freeze! This is the Ministry of Welfare Public Safety Bureau, Criminal Investigation Department!" she shouted, Dominator locked in Non-Lethal Paralyzer Mode. Her eyes went wide as an unlocked Dominator, set on Lethal Eliminator Mode, was pointed directly at her; its blue light charged up at the center and ready to fire.

"Look out newbie!" Yamauchi knocked her out of the assailant's Dominator blast, blue pulsing energy singing the spiky ends of his hair just above the right ear as he dodged. It blew a fairly large sized hole in the wall behind them, and he shielded her from the blast's impact.


	3. Monster Without a Name

**03: Monster Without A Name**

"What did I just tell you?!" Ginoza roared, aiming his Dominator at the assailant. The reading on the Dominator must be malfunctioning, he thought, because it couldn't identify the target, only telling him the Psycho Pass and Hue color. The numbers shifted randomly, Hue color changing accordingly, as he tried getting a good enough lock. As the target's Psycho Pass shifted from a lower number in the hundreds to a number in the higher four hundreds, the Hue changed along with them, going from a slightly clouded forest green color to a deep purple. The number quickly changed again, but so far were all within the hundreds range, never dipping below to the double and single digits, which he took note of, just as he got a favorable lock on the target. He took the opportunity to give a warning, even though the assailant was far past one. "Don't move, put your weapon down now!" he called out, his Dominator charging up with neon blue.

The assailant didn't comply, instead shifting their own Dominator to him. They then dived out of the way of his blasts, nimbly avoiding each despite the tight spacing, the blasts leaving scorch marks on the wall behind. The low light obscured any attempts at figuring out if the assailant was male or female, but by the way they dodged with ease meant it an individual with a lot of experience handling Dominators, or otherwise they wouldn't have known which way to move.

Ginoza lined up his shots in timing with their movements to compensate for this development, but still they keep evading them, and he opted then to adjust his shot trajectory as he let one off at the assailant's right foot, which was firmly planted on the ground as they had only been dodging with their left side, as that was the direction where he was aiming the most.

Got you!

"What!?" the senior Enforcer said in disbelief as the assailant, somehow sensing the attack, had jumped over it, and was now leaping at him, coming under the light where he stood and as a result revealing their identity.

A woman?!

She hit his arm with the palm of her hand, knocking the Dominator from his grasp, and slashed at his now weaponless hand with a previously concealed melee weapon. He counteracted by using his arm to intercept the blade, then using the momentum to try and elbow her in the chest. She again sensed the action, and put up her arm in defense, blocking his hit before landing on her feet and making a dash for Yamauchi and Shimotsuki still on the ground.

"Inspector Shimotsuki, look out!" Ginoza shouted, holding his damaged left arm. "Souta!" he shouted again as Yamauchi was getting up. "She's right in front of you!"

"I can see that!" the Enforcer shouted back, lifting up his fists, hunkering down into an odd stance. He gave an uppercut with his right fist as she got within range, but she simply sidestepped past it as he then went for a left hook to catch her on the side as she completed her maneuver. Instead, she crouched under his punch, pushing his arm aside and propelled herself forward to come up eye level with him, reared her head back, and slammed her forehead into his, and he staggered. She took the few seconds window to fly past him and around the corner.

"Ah! Fuck! That one hurt!" Yamauchi groaned, not so much in pain as amusement. He shrugged it off, reaching for his Dominator that he had thrown on the ground when he had saved Inspector Shimotsuki and lifted it at the fleeing woman as he took aim at her backside. He fired off a shot, but the blast missed her, ripping into a support beam next to her. Layers of Metal were torn apart as it hit, spraying shards on the woman who shielded herself and kept the same pace, disappearing around another corner and out of sight.

Yamauchi watched her go, frowning. "Tsk. I missed." He sighed, Ginoza certain he was more upset about his aim than the fact that she had gotten away. He then glanced over his shoulder at Inspector Shimotsuki on the wet ground, who was still lying on her side and had her hands over her head. "Hey newbie, are you gonna lie there all day?"

"S-sorry." Inspector Shimotsuki said, sitting up. She sat, knees bent in front of her as she stared silently at her Dominator, which she had dropped as soon as she'd hit the ground.

Yamauchi offered her his hand, and she looked up as at it for a second before accepting it. Helping her back onto her feet, Yamauchi looked down at her as she bowed her head in shame. "Something up?"

Inspector Shimotsuki didn't answer, instead continuing to stare at her Dominator which was now lying at her feet. She clenched her fists. Her HoloComm came to life as Inspector Tsunemori called in.

"Inspector Shimotsuki, my team and I have apprehended the suspect. I repeat, we have apprehended the suspect: Mitsuo Iseri. Have your team meet up with us at this location." she said, as Shimotsuki's map expanded so all three of them could see exactly where, as it pinpointed the senior Inspector's and her team's location. Three white triangles were shown not far from their own. "Tsunemori out."

"Inspector Shimotsuki," Ginoza said as he walked up to her, "we need to inform Inspector Tsunemori of what just happened."

"Right." she agreed, voice a whisper, scooping up her Dominator a second later. "Let's go, you two," she said, raising her voice, renewed confidence and determination in the tone of her voice as turned on her heel, starting for Inspector Tsunemori's location as Yamauchi and he followed close behind her, matching their speed with hers as they went quickly past buildings and around corners.

"Who was that chick anyway?" Yamauchi asked aloud as he ran alongside him, the encounter no doubt still fresh in his mind. "She was good."

Ginoza glanced down at his damaged arm, the cut deep enough that the various wires and parts underneath the synthetic tissue were exposed to the elements, before responding, "A monster without a name."

 **:-:0330:-:**

Mika listened to their banter absentmindedly, lost in her own thoughts as they swirled inside her head, planting seeds of doubt. You were afraid. _If only I hadn't frozen up._ You were weak. _If only I had been stronger._ You were slow. _If only I had been faster._ You're a coward. _No, I..._ You lack the nerve. _I..._

You won't change.

 _You're wrong!_

"I just have to be better next time!" she growled under her breath, biting her lip as she gripped her Dominator's handle so that the whites of her knuckles shown. Shrugging off those feelings and putting her mind back on getting to Inspector Tsunemori's location as fast as possible, she thought of her old friend.

 _I just have to be faster this time, Kagami!_

 **:-:0330:-:**

Hound Four gazed out the window at the crowded streets below, neon signs and other bright lights lighting up the block with clashing arrays of color as she hung over the side of the windowsill, arms hanging freely.

"You know, you shouldn't hang like that," Yayoi told her, crossing her arms and leaning against the building support beam as she watched over the suspect. "What if you fell?"

Hound Four leaned farther out, as if doing the opposite of what someone told her to do was normal for her. "Yeah? What about it?" she asked, rocking back and forth on the windowsill, causing it to creak from amount of pressure she was applying.

"You could die. We are on the seventh floor, after all."

Hound Four put a finger on her cheek in thought, Yayoi guessing what she was most likely thinking: _Now that she mentioned it, they were pretty high up!_ as she proceeded to peer down, _Everyone looks like ants!_ Her brow furrowed. _No, wait, more like cicadas._ A purse of the lips. _Wait, cicadas weren't prominent this season—so... rats?_ Scratch of the head. _Although, those could actually be rats and not people at all._ Leaning out even more. _Unless..._

"Are you even listening?" she called out, Hound Four now debating with herself whether the things in the street below were humans or rodents out loud just as she'd imagined. "Fukui?"

"Chiasa," the girl immediately replied, hearing her own name. Moving away from the windowsill, she eyed her dead on. "Call me Chiasa, Yayoi."

Yayoi didn't change expressions, but this girl's use of first name basis only bothered her. It wasn't that she said others' first names so freely, that wasn't it, it was the underlying feeling that was buried beneath. That was what bothered her. As if it brought up too many unpleasant memories better left forgotten. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was definitely a reason behind it. A good one. Sighing, she fixed Chiasa with cool grey eyes. "Alright, Chiasa, but do you understand what I'm telling you?"

Chiasa gave a heavy nod. "Loud and clear!"

"I just finished contacting Inspector Shimotsuki's team," Tsunemori said, entering the room, "They'll be here shortly." Glancing around, she motioned for the two of them to haul the suspect to his feet. They did as instructed, each taking a hold of an arm, and followed her out.

Chiasa itched her nose, staring at the back of Tsunemori's police jacket, at the white symbol of the Public Safety Bureau etched into the fabric. "Hey, Akane, when can I meet the new girl?" she asked, now looking at the back of her head.

"Soon," Tsunemori responded, not turning around. "Once we get Mitsuo Iseri into the CID truck." She looked back with a faint smile. "Just don't scare her too much, ok?"

"Yeah, yeah!" Chiasa replied, nodding quickly, "I won't, I promise!"

Tsunemori glanced over at her, probably for her own reaction, but all she did was lock eyes and, frowning slightly, Tsunemori looked straight ahead again, continuing to lead them out the building. She was trying so hard.

* * *

 **A / N:** Just some shameless advertisements, but I also have other works in different fandoms, if anyone wants to check those out. Personally, I'd recommend Caged No More (Shingeki no Kyojin), Hero Fall (Black Lagoon x Fate/stay night), or Twelfth Apostle (Mobile Suit Gundam Universal Century), but it's up to the reader in the end. Anyway, you can take a gander at them all in the My Stories section on my profile. PM, leave a review or comment on them, if you want. I'll appreciate it.

As for this story in particular, the documents I recovered are only at their beginning stages, so once I'm done going through all of those expect updates that are probably going to be less frequent. Also, if anyone catches any mistakes with the chapters, or has something they'd like to share, ask, or what have you, feel free to PM, leave a comment, or review, for this, as well.

I'm aware Mika's identification serial number is incorrect, but I came up with it before Season 2 was even announced and don't see any real need to change it. For those wondering, her ID as in the anime is 00475-AEFG-34875-1, whilst mine is 00476-AEDJ-30257-2. Not too far off, huh? I just took Akane's and increased a few random numbers and letters by 1. Nothing psychic.

That is all.


	4. End Of A Long Day

**04: End Of A Long Day**

Akane thought a moment, looking at Kunizuka and Chiasa as they hauled Mitsuo Iseri off, and then back at Mika. "Did you get a good look at the woman?"

"No, I didn't get the chance," she answered, eyes downcast. "But Mr. Yamauchi and Ginoza were able to," she continued, looking back up, steadfast, "Ask them! They should be able to give you a description!"

"I was about to," Akane replied, moving past her to address the two Enforcers, who were also watching the two female Enforcers, unintentionally listening in on their conversation.

"They're cute. Eh Gino?" Souta nudged Ginoza in his good arm, winking. He was primarily fixed on Yayoi, as he closed an eye and made a gun sign with his fingers. "Especially Yayoi, I'd dominate her any day." He pulled the trigger on his imaginary weapon, making the sound effect of a Dominator in Lethal Eliminator mode as it fired. "Brrrr."

Ginoza just let out an exasperated sigh at his fellow Enforcer's naivety, not bothering to tell him the truth and cause his fantasies to come crashing down, instead turning his head in her direction upon her approach. He already had an idea as to why she was coming over, no doubt.

"Ginoza. Yamauchi. Can I talk to you two for a second?"

Yamauchi was still ogling Kunizuka as he responded, "Is it about that chick from earlier?" He didn't turn to look at her.

"Yes, Inspector Shimotsuki informed me that you two had a good look at her."

"Green eyes."

"What?" She stopped in her tracks with a quizzical look on her face, not understanding what he meant.

"She had green eyes," Yamauchi repeated, rubbing his forehead, "And a hard head, oh man. I mean, look at what she did to my hair!" he complained, indicating towards his burned off ends as he turned to face her, an unhappy look on his face.

"I'm sorry?"

"Tsk. Now I'm going to have to change my hairstyle! I wonder if Yayoi likes Caesar Cuts?" he continued, exploring his options as he went back to his ogling of Kunizuka.

She left him to worry about… that… more concerned about the woman's identity, and turned to Ginoza instead.

"Ginoza, do you have any information on this woman the three of you saw?"

He motioned with his hand to a spot where they could talk alone. She complied, moving to where he suggested and when they were both away from the others, he lowered his voice so only she could hear. "I'm positive that the woman we encountered was an Enforcer," he whispered, "from Division Two."

"Are you sure?" Her eyes went wide, then narrowed. "No, of course you are. It would explain why she had a Dominator." Various memories flashed in her mind as she searched for a possible explanation as to how an Enforcer was roaming around freely, not to mention with a Dominator. It made no sense, unless... "Do you remember her name?"

"No, I never had any contact outside of the Inspectors from within Division Two. I've seen her countless times with the Inspectors, but I never bothered to learn her name. It hadn't mattered then."

The Inspector glanced over at the rest of Unit One who were waiting around, then back at him. "We can discuss this later. Right now isn't the time," she said, standing up straight and smiling softly as she glanced over again, this time at Mika.

 **:-:0440:-:**

Mika sat down at the table underneath the tent, sighing quietly to herself. First assignment over. It was more than she'd expected, but as she stretched her arms, knew she couldn't chicken out now. She—

"Hey there!"

"Wha-?!"

She jumped from her seat. at the voice, eyes darting in all directions for the voice she'd heard, but not seeing anyone around expect Yamauchi, who was too busy trying to get Kunizuka's attention to even notice her, she relaxed. She watched the spectacle now that she knew everything was alright. Kunizuka was blocking Yamauchi out as she leaned against the CID truck, arms crossed and head downcast, pretending not to hear him. It must have been her imagination. That was when she felt it.

She spun around with a frozen dread, as if the chill on her spine had iced the expression onto her face. A young woman was leaning over the table and waving at her. She winked.

"What ya so jumpy for?" she wondered aloud, still staring. "Oh!" she suddenly yelled out, hitting her fist on her palm, "Guess I should introduce myself! I'm Chiasa Fukui, nice ta meet ya Inspector Shimotsuki!" She smiled, then put a finger on her cheek and seemed to process something for a moment. "Say, can I call you Mika instead?"

Now it was Mika's turn to stare. What? "Errr.. I guess you can, I mean it doesn't—"

"Then you can call me Chiasa!" she said, sliding over the table and landing in the seat next to Mika. "What's up?"

"Y-you're a little close there," Mika replied uncomfortably, scooting away until there was space between them. She calmed down after they were enough distance apart. "Ms. Fukui, was it?"

"Chiasa."

"R-right, Chiasa. You're one of the Enforcers, correct?"

"Yep!" Chiasa confirmed, twirling the slightly curled ends of her straight dark brown hair, which reached down just past her shoulders. "Just like Yayoi and Souta over there!" she went on, pointing at the two still over by the CID truck. Leaning close to Mika, she then whispered in her ear. "He doesn't know."

Mika pulled her head back a little. "D-Do you mean Mr. Yamauchi?" she whispered back, not sure why, as she glanced over at him. "What about him?"

"About Yayoi." Chiasa elaborated, cupping her hand just in case anyone but Mika could hear her. She was certainly loud enough for them to.

"What about her?" Mika leaned in a little closer, wanting to know what the Enforcer had to say, then pulled back again, remembering how close they were to each other.

"She's on the other side of the fence."

"Huh?"

Chiasa tried to explain it again, putting emphasis on her words this time. "She. Swings. The. Other. Way."

It took Mika to process what the other girl was telling her, then it clicked in her mind as she stared at Chiasa's surprisingly serious face. Chiasa was nodding, confirming what she said to be truth—that she wasn't lying about Yayoi's sexuality. "Should we tell Mr. Yamauchi?"

Chiasa thought a moment, looking over at Yamauchi still attempting to get Kunizuka's attention, then back at Mika. "Nah. He'll find out sooner or later."

"Having fun?" They both jumped this time as Inspector Tsunemori stood there with Ginoza behind, a curious look on her face. "Anything you want to share?"

"No!" the two said in unison.

Inspector Tsunemori addressed her. "Inspector Shimotsuki."

"Yes?" Mika responded, firm and attentive.

"You'll need to file a report of what occurred tonight, and when we get back to the MWPSB HQ, I want to have a personal talk with you," she told her, then turned to Chiasa, "And Ms. Fukui, come with me."

"Understood!" Chiasa sprang up, following Inspector Tsunemori alongside Ginoza. She looked back at her, waving bye. "See-ya Mika!"

Mika hesitantly waved back. What a strange person, she thought, just as something occurred to her.

How come she let Inspector Tsunemori call her by her last name?!

Watching the three of them disappear, she leaned back into the table and sighed to herself again, staring up at the tent's canopy. Well, whatever. It'd been a long day, and she just hoped tomorrow would go a bit smoother.


	5. Results

**05: Results**

Chiasa spun in her office chair, looking at the ceiling to avoid staring at the computer monitor in front of her. "Ugh... so boring...!" She glanced over at Kunizuka, who was busy typing away on her own computer, and, grinning ear to ear, a thought popped into her head. Rolling her chair closer, she got within breathing distance of the dark haired woman.

"No, I don't want to talk." Kunizuka said bluntly before she even had a chance to open her mouth, as if she were some kind of mindreader. Her eyes didn't peel off her computer monitor, the bluish white glow illuminating her face in the dim light of Unit One's office as she continued to type. "Concentrate on your own work."

Chiasa puffed her cheeks into a disappointed glare as she went from Kunizuka, to Kunizuka's computer monitor, then back to Kunizuka, and finally at her own computer—which was filling with statistics and data she was neglecting to process and transfer—before sticking out her tongue at the lot of them. As she slide back in front of her computer, bumping into her keyboard with total disregard for any damage she might have done to it, and any damage she might do to it in the future, the drink she had next to the keyboard shook. Its contents swished around slightly, then settled.

Kunizuka's darted over. "Another time," and darted back, "but only _after_ you've finished all your work and—"

"Yeah!" Chiasa sprang from her sea, fist clenched high in triumph, and in the process spilling her drink all over her keyboard without thinking. She quickly jumped, out of the way, as it started to drip onto the floor beneath her. "Oops…"

Kunizuka bonked her on the head with a file folder, "—cleaned up your station."

"Woo-hoo! Be right back!" Chiasa hurried off to get some paper towels.

 **:-:0550:-:**

"So, Gino," Yamauchi started, leaning against the wall to the right of Director Kasei's office door, "how long do you think they'll be in there?" He looked over, hands in his suit pockets.

Ginoza looked back from the opposite wall, straight backed. "However long it takes, and stop slouching—we're in MWPSB HQ."

"Tsk. I get you." Yamauchi replied, standing properly. "I have a loyalty to the CID as much as you do." He said with a grin, staring forward, and, after a moment, the grin widened, as he proceeded to turn up to the ceiling. "Well, maybe not as much."

 **:-:0550:-:**

Inside Director Kasei's office, Akane stood waiting for the Director to finish reading over both her and Mika's reports regarding the capture of Mitsuo Iseri.

Computer monitor illuminating the left side of her face in the dimly lit room, it seemed as if she were searching for something else between the lines, leafing through them with a certain purpose, before putting them down on her desk and letting out a sigh, turning in her chair to fully face them. Her icy bluish grey eyes zoomed in and studied her, specifically, and the young Inspector was a little more than nervous.

Director Kasei blinked, adjusting her glass. "You did well for your first assignment Inspector Shimotsuki." She smiled, elbows propped on her desk and hands clasped together. "Don't you agree, Inspector Tsunemori?" she glanced over, making eye contact.

"Yes, she did very well."

"I hope you will keep up the good work," the Director said as she went back to the girl, breaking off eye contact, "I believe this is the first time we've officially met."

"Yes!" Mika confirmed, giving a salute.

Director Kasei nodded in return, motioning for her to relax, then focused back on the matter at hand. "These reports are... troubling..." she glanced over again, making eye contact a second time before going back to Mika, "but regardless, you did very well for your first report, as well. Good work."

"Thank you, Director." Mika's face lit up with pride, as she was no doubt struggling to contain the butterflies she obviously felt from the Director's praise.

"You may go back to your Division. I need to speak with Inspector Tsunemori alone for a moment."

"Yes!"

Mika gave off a quick salute this time, then exited the room, and, as soon as she was gone, Director Kasei motioned for her to have a seat in one of her lounging couches. She did so, as the Director sat in the couch opposite. A glass table separated the two of them, evenly across from one another.

"Tsunemori, I have reason to also believe this is not the full report," the Director surmised, crossing her legs and folding her arms on her lap, as she eased back into the couch, staring intently into her eyes—searching.

She thought a second, unblinking, of the best way to respond. "One of my Enforcers informed me about the possible identity of the woman, the unknown assailant."

"Oh? Go on." Director Kasei narrowed her eyes, ready to listen and record what she had to say next. Anything at all.

"He is certain the woman was an Enforcer from Unit Two."

A momentary lapse as the Director calculated something. "Anything else?"

"No. That was all the information he had."

Director Kasei mulled over the information, her mind somewhere else, somewhere hidden, processing and analyzing the information and, after a moment, offered her response. "This woman, if what you say is true, could prove to be a setback; a thorn in the Bureau's side." She let out another sigh, gathering her conglomerate thoughts before addressing her again. "As you are aware, Inspector Tsunemori, the Sibyl System maintains the order of this country, and as part of the Public Safety Bureau," she paused, thinking, "the Criminal Investigation Department is tasked with keeping this order in check."

Akane's demeanor changed for a split second at the mention of the Sibyl System, knowing full well what the Director was going to suggest—no, command her and Unit One to do. The only indication of this split second change was a strain in her eyes, which quickly vanished. "I'm aware of that."

"As such, this woman is a threat to that order, and since this is the case, I will have you and your Division head the investigation into this woman." She looked her directly in the eyes as she spoke. "Are we clear, Inspector Tsunemori?"

"Yes, Director Kasei."

"Good." The Director smiled, and made a motion with her hand, dismissing her, and, as Akane was almost to the door called to her, tone lowered. "Oh, and Inspector Tsunemori? Make sure you watch your new partner," she said, almost wickedly. "We wouldn't want anything unfortunate to happen to her so soon. The CID is small enough right now as it is, it doesn't need to be any smaller."

Akane didn't respond. Instead, she resumed to walk out the room, softly biting on her lower lip, contemplating and fighting the urge not to turn around and look the Director in the eye. The door closed as she walked down the hallway with Ginoza behind her, preparing for her talk with Mika.

 **:-:0550:-:**

Mika walked into Unit One's office, Yamauchi following behind her.

Looking around, the office was dimly lit and only two of the computers were on, with Chiasa at one and Kunizuka the other. Kunizuka was typing away like a machine, absorbed and seemingly oblivious to the things happening around her. In contrast, Chiasa looked about ready to fall asleep, typing away like a car on its last tank of gasoline.

"Took longer than I thought it would," Yamauchi yawned, stretching his arms. "At least now I can—"

"Hey, you guys!" a voice belonging none other than to Chiasa called out from her seat. She waved at them before rushing over.

"What's up?" Yamauchi asked, not really paying attention to her as he was Kunizuka, who had turned her head to see who had entered the office and froze, then frowned slightly when she simply went back to typing, scratched the back of his head as the moment passed.

A wry smiled stretched across Chiasa's face as she got an idea, turning to him. "Hey Souta, wanna take over my spot for me?" she asked slyly, pointing over her shoulder at her work station.

Yamauchi raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "And why would I want to do that?"

She moved closer, lowering her voice so only he could hear. Mika wondered what she was up to, but didn't want to get involved, so she pushed past them and approached Kunizuka instead. "Hello Kunizuka," she greeted, standing so there was little space between them.

"Inspector Shimotsuki." Kunizuka replied, stopping her consistent flow to address her.

"You can just call me Shimotsuki if you want." She smiled.

"Shimotsuki it is then." The Enforcer smiled back. "How did your report go over?"

"Great!" Mika exclaimed. "She praised it, but also looked disturbed by it, as well," she recounted, remembering the look on Director Kasei's face as she read the report. "After that, I was told to leave."

"I'm glad."

Mika grinned, not able to contain her own joy, then hastily switched into a more authoritative attitude. "You should get back to work, Kunizuka," she said, acting now as her superior, the best she could.

"Roger." Kunizuka responded, turning to her keyboard as she also flipped the switch back into professional mode.

Mika started walking back to Chiasa and Yamauchi—who were still chatting—then stopped in her tracks, turning to give one last word to the older woman. "And Kunizuka? Thanks." The Enforcer simply nodded, and, content, Mika rejoined the two other Enforcers, seeing them shake hands.

"You got yourself a deal, little lady!"

"Thanks!" Chiasa said quickly, before grabbing Mika, startling her. She put her arm around the Inspector's shoulder. "Hey Mika, let's get something to eat!" she offered, face so close that their cheeks were pressing together.

"Too close!" Mika exclaimed, wiggling free, "and I'm not even hungry!" Creating more breathing space between the two of them, she held up her hands. "B-but thanks for your—!"

Chiasa took her firmly by the wrist. "We can just talk! Let's go!" she exclaimed, practically dragging her.

She tried slipping out of Chiasa's grasp as she was being pulled along in the direction of the MWPSB cafeteria. "Chiasa, I said—!"

"Come on Mika, live a little!" Chiasa smiled back, winking.

Mika's face reddened. "Well... I-I guess I could..." she said shyly, as she glanced down at the floor.

 **:-:0550:-:**

Ginoza was right behind Tsunemori as she came into the office and asked Yamauchi and Kunizuka of Inspector Shimotsuki and Fukui's whereabouts.

"Went to lunch." Kunizuka answered without looking at either of them. Beside her, Yamauchi was staring blankly ahead at his computer screen, and, apprehensive as always, Tsunemori asked if something were the matter.

"I've been had," he growled, coming back to life just like that, completing a full circle in his chair. Resting his arm over the back, hand on cheek, he chuckled, "Knew it was too good to be true… As if Yayoi would be open for a date."

Tsunemori frowned, puzzled by his behavior. "Well, anyway, I need the three of you to stay here and concentrate on your work. I'm going to check on the two of them," she said, turning on her heel to leave. "Try and cheer him up, we can't have him sulking like that," she whispered.

"Right," he replied as she moved past him and looked at the two other Enforcers in the office, wondering how to handle the situation as Yamauchi tried to initiate small talk with the target of his childish affection.

"So, Kunizuka—"

"No."

And was immediately shot down. Crashed and burned.

 **:-:0550:-:**

Mika reached for her glass of water, watching droplets condense and slide down to the bottom of the glass, collecting there until they weighed enough to fall onto the table. Peeking through it at Chiasa's distorted form, she felt the coldness of the water go down her throat as she took a drink and, setting the glass down, it shook as the dark brown haired Enforcer across from her was casually ripping into her food

And, in no time at all, she was finishing off her plate. Looking at Mika's plate after, the Enforcer fixed her eyes on the fresh greens and meat. "You gonna eat that?"

"Yes!" Mika exclaimed, covered her food as if she were protecting it against a dangerous animal. "If you want more go get second's." She indicated over at the serving line. "And you have sauce on your face."

"I do?" Chiasa asked, proceeding to wipe around her mouth with her hand. "Oh. I do." She wiped her hand on a napkin, then smiled at the Inspector. "Thanks Mika!"

Mika stopped covering her food, as the atmosphere became calm again. "Err... you're welcome?"

"So, what's up?" the Enforcer asked, leaning forward in her seat.

"Scoot back." Mika responded, taking a bite of her food.

"What's it like being an Inspector?" She threw out the question, putting a finger on her cheek in thought, curious.

"So far, not as difficult as I thought it would be." Mika answered, relieved that that was the case. "What's it like being an Enforcer?"

"Fun," Chiasa cheerfully said, summing it in one word. "Though, now that I think about it..." she started to say, her light green eyes locking with Mika's. "There is more purpose in it than fun for me." The mood suddenly got more serious as both of them sat quietly then, the cafeteria relatively empty with only a few other people there besides them.

"What do you mean?"

Chiasa smiled faintly, staring over at the window. "Well, you see," she started, her voice losing its cheerful edge, "I was never really knew my parents. As a result, I was closest to my sister," she said, looking down briefly. "My parents died when I was young, and my sister left soon after."

Mika gasped. A bomb had just been dropped. "I'm sorry about your parents," she said, her eyes downcast. She looked back up quickly. "And your sister? What happened to her?"

The Enforcer turned, with a determined look that wasn't like her. "She became an Enforcer. That's the reason I became one myself, so that I could see her again. Ah! But don't worry about it," she reassured, "I'll find her!"

Mika smiled back, glad that Chiasa wasn't bitter about it. If only she felt the same way about her past, mind going back to that rainy evening, the memory buried into her brain.

 _Two bodies were being taken out on stretchers, the area blocked off by Drones and yellow tape. Mika stood as close as she could behind the tape, her mouth open in disbelief as the bodies were loaded onto an ambulance. She heard footsteps approach her from the side as she watched._

 _"So, you were close to her, huh?" a woman's voice asked. Out of the corner of her eye Mika saw her, wearing a dark coat and looked away, at the ground._

 _"You can tell?"_

 _"Yes, from the look on your face," the woman replied, taking a small step closer._

 _"I failed to tell her something important. She kept talking about Yoshika..." Mika paused slightly, "She wasn't thinking about me at all..." She looked up, but still away from the woman, clenching her hands into fists. "I was the one who suggested she ask Rikako Oryou." She unclenched her fists, looking down at her open palms; tears filled the corners of her eyes as she continued, "I shouldn't have let her go alone!" Hiding her face behind her hands, she began to cry. "It's as if I killed her myself!" she shouted, staring at her hands again, the rain washing away her tears._

 _"Cry while you can..." the woman told her. "Or your Hue will get cloudy."_

 _Mika buried her head in the woman's chest, letting them out as the woman accepted her, holding her comfortingly._

 _They kept flowing as the woman held her tighter. "I know what it's like to lose a friend," the woman mentioned softly. "It's never an easy thing." She held her until she calmed down, then asked for her name_

 _"Mika..." she replied, wiping her eyes. "Mika Shimotsuki."_

 _The woman smiled, hands on her shoulders. "I'm Yayoi Kunizuka," she introduced herself, pulling Mika closer for another embrace. Another act of comfort._

That was first time she'd met her, and the last time she'd cried, she thought, smiling at the memory.

Chiasa laughed, "What?"

"Oh, nothing. I'll tell you about it later," Mika replied, now smiling at Chiasa, who smiled back.

"I'll be holding you to that!"

"Still having fun I see," Inspector Tsunemori said, approaching their table, "Inspector Shimotsuki, I need to speak with you, and Ms. Fukui, go back to the office and do your work."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Aww, Akane..." she complained, "Can't I tag along with you and Mika?"

"You're needed at the office."

"Understood..." Chiasa obeyed grudgingly, getting up sluggishly.

Mika put her hand on the other girl's shoulder, winking. " _Come on, Chiasa! Live a little!_ "


End file.
